When to use a comma before "too"?

The different meanings aren't clarified by the comma usage, I'm afraid. Context is what will make that clear. I wouldn't put a comma in any of those sentences.

I thought you put the comma in front of too most of the time. I don't have an exact rule at hand, but off the top of my head it seems like anytime you could drop it, you use the comma.

"Mary wants to go to the store. Becky wants to go to the store, too."


Now I'm not sure if that means you would keep the comma when shortened:

"Becky went, too."


My grammar head says yes, always use it. I'll wait for someone to contradict me - won't be long.

Always.

mylael said:

Examples:

1. Sarah wants to buy makeup at Macy's. Melissa wants to buy makeup at Macy's too.

2. Melissa wants to buy makeup at the drugstore. Melissa wants to buy makeup at Macy's too.

3. Melissa wants to get a makeover at Macy's. Melissa wants to buy makeup at Macy's too.

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Without the comma, these indicate to me there's a store called Macy's too. You would always use a comma before the "too".

I'd put a comma before too in each of your example sentences. Regardless of where too appears in the sentence, it should be set off with commas when it means also, in addition to, and similar concepts.

I want to shop at Macy's, too.
I, too, want to shop at Macy's.
I want to shop, too, while we're out.

This usage is, however, slowly changing. When in doubt, though, go with The Olde Ways.

When too means in excess, more than enough, overly, and so on, then it needs no commas.

I was too tired to shop at Macy's.
The prices at Macy's were too high.

Maryn, hoping this helps

The way I was taught (back in the day) a comma is always required before too when it is used to mean also. The other distinctions of meaning you cite aren't relevant.

However, when too is used to mean excessively, then no comma is used.

Comma: Melissa wants to buy makeup at Macy's, too.
No comma: Melissa buys too much makeup.

However, in keeping with the general trend that people use fewer commas these days, I've seen the comma-before-too omitted when there were other commas nearby. I'm still not convinced that's acceptable.

FennelGiraffe gives a good clarification.

If too is used to mean also, I always place a comma before it.

I would also like to clarify this. A comma before a word that needs no pause or emphasis disturbs me. Does it bother you too?
Matera laughs up her sleeve

Matera, that's the usage I see changing. At least one dictionary at dictionary.com shows no commas before "too" in its very short sentences used as examples.

I'm okay with that. (At my age, open to change? Shocking.)

My writing critique group hammered me for an exchange that involved phrases like "Did too!" and "Me too" without commas, but I left them that way despite their protests. The complete lack of pause suggested to me that the comma was not incorrect but certainly not absolutely required.

Although if someone wants to buy that story only if I'll put the commas in, I'm on board!

Maryn, flexible

1. Sarah wants to buy makeup at Macy's. Melissa also wants to buy makeup at Macy's.

2. Melissa wants to buy makeup at the drugstore as well as at Macy's.

3. Melissa wants to get a makeover at Macy's. Melissa wants to buy makeup at Macy's while she's there.

In example one, it's "Melissa wants to be the second person to go on an errand", in example two it's "Melissa wants to go to two places," in example three it's "Melissa wants to do two things in one place."

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Just get rid of the darn word all together.

Flexibility is great. Wish I had it when I first get up in the morning. I'm too stiff then. Good idea, can the darn word.

Comma with _too_

Always putting a comma before too is old-fashioned, and even the venerable Chicago Manual says the comma should usually be dispensed with in this case. When too, meaning 'also,' comes at the beginning of a sentence, the manual says to use a comma after it. The rule I personally prefer to follow (which is not one of my own invention--I think I got it from an earlier addition of the Chicago Manual) is that if too (meaning 'also') comes immediately after the word it belongs to, don't use a comma or commas. If it is separated from the word it belongs to, use a comma. So by that rule, "I went, too" would mean the same thing as "I too went." On the other hand, "I went too" would mean that I did some other things as well and, in addition to those other things, I also went somewhere. Some authorities believe that making that sort of distinction is putting too much of a burden on the poor little comma, but we do make the distinction clear in speech by means of intonation and we follow a very similar rule about using a comma before a "because" clause, which greatly contributes to clarity and spares the reader from having to divine our intentions.

Well, rereading that I think I might have contributed to further confusion on this issue, but I hope it helps some of you figure out for yourselves the best way to deal with the problem.

Gary Rector

Thanx, Gary. Here's the distilled version.

if too (meaning 'also') comes immediately after the word it belongs to, don't use a comma or commas. If it is separated from the word it belongs to, use a comma.

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If I can grind that into my brain, perhaps I, too, can figure out definitively where the comma goes or does not go ...

Rector said:

On the other hand, "I went too" would mean that I did some other things as well and, in addition to those other things, I also went somewhere.

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But when you don't use the comma in an instance like that, you get the immature people like me who snicker because it makes 'too' sound like something you'd do in the toilet.

Not that I'm helping any. I just wanted to chime in